The conspiracy
by zkjt
Summary: New political dangers are plaguing London at different turns. Raaz, a young apprentice, must find out who the conspirators are with the help of a familiar Djinn.
1. Prologue

Prologue

50 years ago

The weather matched the mood of the funeral on that cold autumn night. The rain came down heavily, making everything a blur, and drowning out the voice of the pastor. Men and women were dressed in black, and all demons had been dismissed. They were outside of an abbey, with paved walkways, and big marble pillars. There was over 10,000 people at the abbey and out on the streets, all here to pay their respects to the man to whom they owed their lives: John Mandrake.  
Behind the abbey, on the other side of the river stood Westminister and Whitehall. Most of the buildings there were still being reconstructed, from the concrete and rock filling the streets. Lone figures walked through the streets quietly, wearing long cloaks and keeping their hoods up. Once, he would have been questioned by the night police. But after the conspiracy of Makepeace, the magicians power was waning. Commoners walked through the streets with the same hunched posture, but it was the little things. The way they spoke, when they looked you in the eyes. They knew it wasn't a dictatorship that could never be taken down. They knew the weaknesses of the magicians:each other. Dozens of ministers had been killed by Nouda and his army of demons. Many commoners were killed, and demons had run amuck the streets of London. But because of Mr. Mandrake, Nouda was defeated and London saved.  
It was for Mandrake that the funeral was for. His coffin was elegant, with dark mahogany wood, and gold intricate carvings running along the sides and top. Pictures displayed him at his greatest moments. Holding a large amulet, with a brightly colored gem in the middle, a picture of a clay eye, and others. The last picture was Mr. Mandrake, holding a long staff of simple design. Colors flashed from the top, pointing at a thing sitting on a golden throne. Beneath this picture was latin: Pro vestri pacis. For your peace.  
Among the people at the funeral, one woman in particular stood out. She was small, with white hair and dozens of wrinkles lining her face. But if you looked closely, you could see the vitality and vigor in the woman's dark brown eyes, and you could tell this was not an ordinary woman. Because despite her appearance, Kitty was only 18 years old.  
Kitty was wearing a long black dress, something given to her by Ms. Piper after the battle with Nouda was over, and the funeral planned. She wore black satin gloves, and a black veil covering her face. It was raised now, and the tears streaming down her cheeks were obvious, though most were lost in the folds of her skin. The people next to her ignored her, as all were here for their savior. But only a select few knew that Kitty had been a prime member of the Resistance, a group of kids and young adults who attacked magicians, until a raid on a tomb went wrong and everyone save Kitty and a man named Nick survived. Kitty had also helped to save the junior ministers from the dungeons at Whitehall, and helped John Mandrake. And, only she and Bartimaues knew of this now, she had traveled to the one place magicians were too afraid to dare even think about going:The Other Place. Where demons dwelled, and where she ventured after reading Ptolemy's book on the subjects. Bartimaues suddenly had a newfound respect for Kitty, and came back to help. And because of Bartimaues and John Mandrake's efforts, they succeeded. But both perished, sacrificing themselves for the good of others. A new wave of tears assaulted Kitty as she slowly walked forward. In her hands was a delicate white rose. Most people had trinkets of power, or pieces of gold, but Kitty didn't have any of these. So she approached, her hand trembling, whether from grief or weakness who could know. There was no body, just an empty coffin. But he deserved at least that. Setting the rose down at the bottom of the coffin. And then she reached down into her dress, much to the displeasure of the people behind her. Ignoring them, Kitty pulled out a small, bent, and rusted copper disc. It had once held an imp, but it had been dismissed before John Mandrake died. It was of no value, to others. But she knew that John, or Nathaniel, she reminded herself, would appreciate it. So she set it down next to the rose, and stepped away.  
Others swarmed his coffin, putting their possessions in, but Kitty knew it was time to leave. Stepping away from the group of people, Kitty started down the street toward Whitehall. The area she was in was nice, mostly a place of shops and small cafes. Stall owners beckoned to her, calling deals and urging her to buy their supplies. Kitty respectfully declined. While she walked she reminisced. Nathaniel's calm face before he left, his warms hands supporting her, and his eyes, a light, milky brown. Kitty closed her eyes, savoring the memory, when she crashed into a bulky person, sending her sprawling. Standing, Kitty faced who she had crashed into. It was a man, plain looking, with brown hair and brown dark green eyes. He was slightly taller than her, and and from his richly adorned clothing, Kitty could tell that he was a magician. "I'm sorry sir,"Kitty said, reciting the words she had been using for years. But she stood to her full height and stared him in the eyes, not backing down in the slightest. As if somehow amused by her stance, the man chuckled, his gaze sweeping her over. "It was nothing. My fault," He spoke easily, with a flash of a smile. Ignoring it, she continued along, hoping she would be on time for her meeting with Ms. Piper. Suddenly a hand grabbed her shoulder, and Kitty turned to face whoever it was. And she was surprised to see the magician. "You never told me your name," The man said. Warning bells rang through Kitty's head, the same warning bells that she had gotten used to hearing ever since she first joined the Resistance. Opening her mouth to scream, Kitty prepared for the worst. In a flash the man had a hand over her mouth, and was whispering in her ear.  
"You don't have to make it hard Ms. Jones. Tell me what happened in the Other Place and nothing will have to happen," He spoke brutally, but with an air of confidence. Kitty couldn't have been more shocked. She hadn't thought that anyone knew she had gone there, and now he wanted her information. Biting down on his hand, Kitty turned to run, but was brought to the ground by an invisible assailant. Struggling, Kitty tried screaming again but found she was gagged. Hearing a chuckle Kitty looked behind her to see a beast, with a dog's body, eagle's head, and serpent's tail, holding her down. Kitty was never good with classification, but had a feeling this was a Djinn, of not much power. Attempting to throw the demon off of her, Kitty was met with a sharp jab of a claw or talon or something. Kitty felt numb, and as her vision went groggy she was met with the sight of the man's smiling face standing over her. Struggling to stay conscious, Kitty attempted some form of speech, but when she got the first hint of a word out, she blacked out.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Present day

Raaz hurried into the room, barely making it in on time. A clock struck 12, and Raaz breathed with relief, before opening his eyes and approaching his master. Raaz was average for his age, standing at about 5'6. Being from the Middle East, Raaz had very dark skin. He had a prominent chin, and thin eyebrows. His eyes were a light green color, unusual for people of his race. They sparkled with youth, but wisdom was there as well.  
Taking his usual seat at the mahogany table, he looked around while he waited for his master. The study was huge, with wooden beams supporting the ceilings, and plush carpets adorning the floors. Bookcases covered the walls, and books were shoved in hastily, appearing to be in no order. One portrait was hanging above his master's desk. It was a boy, a few years older than Raaz himself. The boy had prominent bones in his face, but had light brown eyes and tousled brown hair. He was smiling, and his eyes sparkled. Raaz knew him to be John Mandrake, the Information Minister 50 years ago. He had been the youngest minister of them all, being only 17. His story and his deeds were taught at an early age, and Raaz worshiped him. Who wouldn't?  
Hearing a noise, Raaz turned and saw his master entering the room, carrying a few books under one arm. Mr. Ebrithil was old, nearing 67 soon. Yet his mind was as strong as ever, even though he needed a cane to walk. The man had gray hair now, with hazel eyes. A long beard tumbled down his neck, and was as bushy as his eyebrows. He walked with a slight limp, even with the cane's benefits. Standing, Raaz stood to help his master put the books in their right places. While they worked, Raaz studied the books. Two were on imps, and Raaz recognized that he had already studied, learned, and memorized, the summoning formulas. The third was covered in black leather, with a pentagram dotted with gemstones on the cover. The writing was hebrew, which Raaz easily translated.  
"Sir? I don't remember seeing this.," Raaz said, delicately turning the pages of the book. His voice had a distinct accent, and there was a burr to his r's. Putting the books that he had in his hand in their rightful places, Mr. Ebrithil turned his eyes twinkling. "That, my boy, is a list of Demons whose power is greater than a level 4 and is Egyptian in first recorded history, very valuable," Raaz nodded, knowing that his master would have no trouble in getting almost any book he desired. His network was great, his influence powerful, his advice treasured. Though he lacked the strength and overall power, he was extremely intelligent, and good-natured. To have him as an ally was a good thing.  
Flipping through the pages, Raaz found it easy to translate the Hebrew. He was already far in his training, and was two years ahead of where he should be. Having already summoned Foliots, Imps, and other things, he was far ahead in his apprenticeship for a 14 year old. His new name would be picked soon, as he and his master had been putting it off for his other studies. His master had high hopes for Raaz, or that's what he at least said. Raaz was a magical prodigy, and could possible have an internship for one of the ministries in only a few years.  
Suddenly Raaz got to a spot he had trouble with. It appeared as if the entire writing had changed, and Raaz peered at it closely, trying to decipher some part of it. "Master?" Raaz asked as he stared at the page. Putting the last book away, Mr. Ebrithil strode over, coming to Raaz's side. "It seems as if..the entire language changed," Raaz said. Smiling, Mr. Ebrithil took the book from the boy's fingers, putting it up on the shelf. "For another time," Mr. Ebrithil said. When Raaz frowned, Mr. Ebrithil spoke up to keep Raaz quiet. "It is an ancient book, dangerous in the wrong hands," Raaz opened his mouth to protest, and seeing this Mr. Ebrithil spoke up. "I'm not saying you're a bad person, but you're young and headstrong. One mess up and things could go terribly wrong. I do this for your own benefit, so heed my words." Mr. Ebrithil waited for the reply, and was surprised to see a look of understanding pass across the boy's face. And then Raaz smiled. "I understand sir. Well, I'm going to go up to my studies, I hope you don't mind." The boy's placid tone brought down Mr. Ebrithil's usually alert senses, and turning Mr. Ebrithil said, "Sure. Make sure you're ready for your lessons later on tonight," And with that Raaz turned and strode out of the room, the large, leather bound book hidden under his shirt.

Mr. Ebrithil resided near downtown Whitehall, in a medium-sized 3 story house. On the first floor was a bathroom, kitchen, parlor, and entrance hall. The second floor was 3 bedrooms, and a bathroom. On the third flood was Mr. Ebrithil's study and bedroom, and in the attic was Raaz's room. The room was small, yet comfortable. There were three windows, all that let in sunlight in the day, moonlight at night. Drafts came in when it was cool, yet the fluffy, thick comforters kept Raaz warm no matter how cold. The furniture was sparse, with only a bed, drawer, single bookcase, and chair. But it was enough for Raaz. Books for his own collection filled the bookcase, and he had read all of them. There were other houses next to Raaz's, but Raaz didn't usually get the chance to socialize. The only time he ever saw other kids were when he jogged with his Fitness Teacher. Raaz was in shape, as a magician needed to be if they were to ever even use magic. 3 other kids jogged with him, all commoners' kids. Since commoners served on the Council now, commoners and magicians were more friendly, and though Raaz didn't consider the other kids his, "friends" they got along quite well.  
Raaz's lessons were the same every week. In the morning he woke up, got dressed, and went down to be served breakfast by the housekeeper, Ms. Youns. At 8:45, Raaz had world history with Mr. Heoff, and then Latin, Hebrew, and Arabian at 10:30. At 12:30 Raaz had lunch, and then had at Math at 1:00. On Tuesdays and Thursdays he had magical studies with his master until dinner, and on Saturdays and Sundays he jogged from 8:00 to 9:00 and had the rest of the day off to catch up on his homework and studies. On Fridays he had a different activity each day from 2:00 to 4:00. One week he will have art, with a teacher named Ms. Lutyens. An old woman, Ms. Lutyens lived by herself on the other side of London. The interesting thing about her was that she taught John Mandrake when he had been but an apprentice. Raaz always had dozens of questions for her, but she always answered questions about Mr. Mandrake stiffly with short answers, but was nice on other subjects. She taught him the finer points of drawing, and how to spot small details, to help him when he went off on his own. Other days, he had music lessons. It turned out he was skilled with the violin, and began to practice vigorously with it, hoping to become as skilled with it as he possibly could. His music teacher, Ms. Xin, loved Raaz, giving him any practice he wanted and virtually allowing him to run the lesson how he wanted. His magic lessons were the high point of his day. Mr. Ebrithil brought out his pipe, and on some days he explained magical history, other days he summoned foliots, or Djinn in front of him, showing him techniques and the different forms of demons. It was enjoyable, and Raaz excelled in his lessons.  
The one thing that could bring Raaz down was the fact that even though he lived in a nice house, with a caring guardian, he had no family. His parents had given him up, and any connection he had once had with these people he didn't know was severed. Despite every reason Mr. Ebrithil could come up with, nothing could change Raaz's regards in this matter. But when his studies progressed, he forgot his sullenness on the matter, eating through his materials, becoming a master in all but the magic itself. He wouldn't have his first planned summoning for a while yet.

Carefully closing his door and locking it, Raaz proceeded to his bed and lied down, removing the book from where it had hidden under his shirt. The cover was magnificent, yet old. It was leather-bound, and a dark brown color. Dark smudges were on the cover and the sides of the pages. What it was, Raaz had only a slight idea that made him shudder. Opening to the first page, was a list of content. He understood most of it, but there were parts where the writing baffled him. Most of the things listed were Djinn, but toward the back of the book were afrits, and, on the last page, a brief summary of how to summon a being of power greater than an afrit. The last page was black, the writing almost unreadable. Flipping back to the front, Raaz began to sift through, studying the pictures of each demon. Hefryr, a level 3 djinn, first recorded in China. A little mark next to the name indicated that the Djinn was still known to be alive, but resided in the Other Place. Looking even farther down the page he could see that it's last summoning had been in 1458, to the far North. Intrigued, Raaz turned the page, making mental notes on each of the Djinn listed. There were some parts that he couldn't read, whether it was because he lacked knowledge on that part of the language, or that it was a different language entirely. When he neared the back of the book he noticed that the details on the Demons were becoming increasingly small, as the demons themselves had not been summoned very much. Hours passed, and then a knock at the door.  
"Your master bids that you meet him in his study for your lessons," It was Ms. Youns. She lived on the second floor, alone. She was elderly, and had no family that lived near. She was strict and orderly, but treated Raaz with an affection no master could reproduce. "Okay Ms. Youns, I'l be there in a few minutes," Standing, Raaz looked around to find a place to put the book. The bookcase would be a bad idea, and under the bed wouldn't work either. Could I even put it in here? He wondered. And as he stepped toward the door, he heard a loud creak and looked down to see a small floorboard. Grinning at his luck, Raaz placed the book underneath the floorboard, and then applied pressure to the board again. It creaked, but there was no resistance that showed a book was hidden underneath. With that, he exited, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Mr. Ebrithil was well over 60 years old by now. He had grown up in Thames, and his master before him, a minister of no great power, had virtually left Mr. Ebrithil on his own. This poor teaching was what had enabled Mr. Ebrithil, or Marcus, the name he had acquired, to become the intelligent man he was now. Marcus had been discovered to be a prodigy at an extremely young age. He mastered techniques, and any other form of magic he would need to know when he went off on his own. But on one of his first summoning, just an imp, he accidentally stepped out of the circle. The imp got to him, and he was attacked. His master saved him, but at a steep cost. His mind refused to let him use magic, and it was a battle of wills to summon even the lowliest mite. But, despite this handicap, he progressed. He took on an internship at the age of 18, and though he had trouble with magic, served the government well. At the age of 40, he retired. He was done with working, and decided to go into a scholarly life. He bought a house near his old work, and devoted his life to categorizing demons, studying subjects other magicians might sometimes overlook. By his 50's, Marcus was an expert, yet overlooked due to his problems. This didn't bother him though, and he consented to study and learn, eventually taking an apprentice when the time would come.  
And the time came. The letter was formal, and Marcus was clearly instructed to, the next day, take a child into his own house and instruct him in the ways of magic. He went downtown and entered where he was instructed to. He entered a room with light blue and green wallpaper, and filled with children. All seemed around 6 or 7, and most were crying. Moving through the room, he entered a door at the back, and came into a room with desks and paper. A small fire burned in the center of the room. When Marcus entered, with the cane he kept with him at all times, a woman looked up and smiled. Motioning for him to sit, the woman explained the process. Mr. Ebrithil would take on a child, of his choice. The child's birth certificates would be burned, and the child promptly taken to start his learning. An official would check in the first few months, than leave the government would leave the child's life until the boy was old enough to work for the Government. After papers had been signed, the woman escorted Mr. Ebrithil back into the main nursery. She showed the man each of the children. There were children of every race, gender, and personality. Some of the kids cried and shrank away when he approached, others appeared uncaring, staring into the distance as if they were blind. And yet there were the kids who were curious, asking questions and tugging at Marcus's sleeve. Marcus chatted happily with these children, and the children, being so young, didn't notice the way the man studied them, as if sizing them up. When he was done chatting with the kids, he had narrowed the kids down to three. One, a pretty girl with blonde locks and bright blue eyes. She was chatty and curious, but Marcus doubted her ability to listen. There was also another girl, with ebony skin and dark brown eyes. She was quiet, yet polite and with an extensive vocabulary for a girl of her age. And the third child, a young Indian boy with bright green eyes. He was curious, yet quiet, answering when asked a question. All of the choices were good, but at the end, he chose the boy. After telling the secretary, the boy was taken, and put into the man's care. Marcus took the boy with him into his limousine, and chatted pleasantly with the boy. While he was quiet, he eventually relented from his silence and told Mr. Ebrithil his name:Raaz. When they got home, Marcus realized he had come to an impasse. The prospect of caring for a child was daunting, and he doubted he could raise the boy on his own. Quickly hired a housekeeper, Ms. Youns, to help care for the child and run his house. He grew fond of Ms. Youns quickly, as she to him. At first Ms. Youns lived across the town, but she moved in quickly, having no relatives near. She moved in on the second floor, and rarely saw Marcus save for meals and brief meetings in the halls. Raaz found himself attached to Ms. Youns quickly, as he respected the way she carried herself, and for the motherly attention and love she draped him in. The first year, Marcus consented with allowing Raaz to get the run of the house, and to get used to living with Mr. Ebrithil and Ms. Youns. After that his studies began. He plowed through languages and History, especially finding a hero in John Mandrake. While Mr. Ebrithil had considered Gladstone his idol, Raaz was part of a new generation, and Gladstone slowly lost his former popularity. Once his magical studies started, Raaz seemed to be a fiend, learning everything he could, while Mr. Ebrithil frantically tried to find enough material to satisfy the boy's hungry mind. Finally, he gave up and began teaching Raaz things that he should not know for years. Once Mr. Ebrithil concluded that Raaz was a prodigy, one who could never know enough, Mr. Ebrithil began teaching him knowledge some of the older magicians didn't even know. While Raaz was only 11, he was learning at the rate of an 18 year old. While Raaz's other subjects like language, History, sciences, and maths, progressed at a normal rate, Raaz exceeded in magic. He had his first summoning at the age of 12, when normal magicians didn't summon a demon until they were well along in their learning. This new form of learning worked for Raaz, and he quickly became a master in the knowledge of demons and magic.

Closing the door, Raaz sat down in the armchair he had grown so accustomed to. Years of sitting on it had given it a slight decline on the actual seat, and this made it even more comfortable. Looking up, Mr. Ebrithil put a finger up and then returned to his work. Understanding the motion for Raaz to wait, he continued to take a quick glance at the papers his master was writing on. He couldn't make out any of the writing, but he could clearly see the government seal. His master was furiously writing, and after 10 minutes he finally looked up. "I'm sorry Raaz, but there was trouble at the ministry, a minister is missing." Seeing Raaz's troubled face he quickly added, "Just a junior minister, though. And I'm sure he'll turn up soon. Now then, did you read your material for today?" Raaz knew that his teacher was changing the subject, and with a wry smile answered, "Yes sir. I found the fact that a man went into the Other Place very fascinating..has it been attempted since 50 years ago?" Shaking his head, Mr. Ebrithil answered, "No. Magicians are afraid, and the commoners on the council also go against it. Though Jeremy Waters documented every detail, the death of Ptolemy is always present in their minds. Jeremy is old now, but still serves on the council, trying to influence the power to his own benefit, and, from what I've heard, attempt to get a large amount of magicians to go into the Other Place," Nodding in understanding, Raaz drew out his papers and handed them to Mr. Ebrithil. Studying the papers with his brow furrowed, his face was completely unreadable. But then his face broke out into a wide grin, and he guffawed loudly. When Raaz looked stricken, his teacher gave Raaz a slap on the shoulder. Such camaraderie was unheard of for teachers and their apprentices, and especially with magicians. But with Mr. Ebrithil's handicap, and Raaz's innocence for a boy of 14, they got along quite well. "Raaz, this is some of the greatest work I've ever seen! Such thought, and work put into this," Eyes shining, Mr. Ebrithil looked back over the writing, while Raaz stood off to one side, fidgeting under the praise of his master. "This...this...I'm showing it to the council at once, and you're coming with me!" Eyes widening, Raaz began to protest, but was silenced by his master's finger going up in the air. "It is so, and nothing you say will sway me," Eyes flaming, Raaz showed his open dislike for his master's plan of action. Softening, Mr. Ebrithil said, "I know you don't want to, but you'll be praised, and might even get an internship if they like it. The youngest was John Mandrake at 14, and that's your age!" With a faraway look in his eyes, as if he was already imagining if his apprentice was even with John Mandrake, he snapped his fingers. In a puff of smoke appeared his foliot, Sharzha. First summoned in the far north, Sharzha appeared as a blood-red polar bear, with eyes bluer than thought possible, and claws 3 times the normal size, each coming to a deadly point. Dipping his head, Sharzha asked for his charge. "You will go to the house of each of the council-"here he recited the names and addresses of each one of them, "-and you will tell them tomorrow I'll be bringing in my apprentice, to show off his skill and level of thought," he trailed off, as if thinking of something else to say, but when he said nothing more Sharzha grew mighty wings and flew off, and after a few feet turned into smoke which trickled out of the slightly open window. Finally remembering Raaz was in the room, Mr. Ebrithil turned to him. "You'll be praised, admired, and no doubt offered a place in our government. Though some of the commoners on the council are against some of the principles of magic, they will have to relent when they see your work. Fabulous, I say," When Mr. Ebrithil was done speaking, they resumed their lesson. But Raaz's mind was never really on his lessons, as his thoughts were filled with the faces of magicians, their gazes fixed on him while he recited his essay. Shaking his head, Raaz wondered whether his brains would be a blessing to him, or a curse that he would regret tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**That night, sleep avoided Raaz. Though he was comfortable in his bed, and the room was the perfect temperature, when Raaz shut his eyes, all he could see was the faces of the council members. They stared at him wordlessly, until he opened his eyes and found he was back in his room, eyes wide. And when sleep did find him, it made no difference.**

**Raaz was walking down long hallway. Pictures were on the walls to either sides of him, and his feet sank into soft carpets. When Raaz looked down, he was barefoot. Why would I be barefoot? He wondered to himself. But his mind processed nothing, and he continued down the hallway. Finally reaching a large door, Raaz halted. His mind worked frantically on whether or not to continue on, while another part of him urged him forward, so his curiosity might be satisfied by whatever lay on the other side of the door. With a resigned sigh, he opened the door, and entered. The room was huge. The walls were dark grey, with purple veins flowing through. The roof was domed, and came to an abrupt point farther up. Pillars wound their way around the circled structure, and when Raaz looked behind him, he found no door, but just another pillar in it's place. This alone frightened him, and he turned and began beating on the pillar begging to get out. But nothing changed. A voice whispered. Raaz stopped his screaming, and perked his ears. **_**Raaz. **_**The whisper was louder now, but the gender could not be identified. Raaz remained still, staring at the wall in front of him. He was frozen in place almost, and he could sense something behind him. Raaz felt something within him, something he recognized all too well. An urge to turn, just as there had been an urge to open the door. **_**Raaz. **_**The voice whispered, louder than before. "No!" Raaz said, not loudly, more to himself, more to calm his rapidly beating heart, and the trembling that had suddenly taken over his body. **_**Raaz. Raaz. Raaz. **_**The voice was getting louder now…wait. Voices. There was more than one. Raaz was still facing the wall, but he could sense movement behind him. He knew…but what could he do? **_**Raaz. **_**Louder. **_**Raaz. **_**Louder. His name continued to repeat over and over again, and he struggled to overcome the feeling that was rising within him. **_**Raaz. **_**The voice had softened, and with incredible ferocity, struck out blindly, and…hit nothing.**

**With a sudden gasp, Raaz sat up in bed, his heart beating so fast and hard it almost hurt. Thinking of his dream, Raaz suddenly felt bile rise up in his throat, and he struggled to fend of the urge to vomit. Instead he got up and paced the room and bit, before finally lying back down in bed and closing his eyes. It was easier to sleep.**

**Morning came quickly, and Raaz was up at least an hour before Ms. Youns would come up and wake him. After trying to fall back to sleep once more, and with no success, Raaz stood quickly, and grabbed the book from it's hiding spot. Then he strode back to his bed, and opened the book. He had forgotten where he had left off, so just started at a random point. The stories that had been told once again fascinated him, as did the histories and strengths of each demon. Once again, the book kept him occupied, and when Ms. Youns came up to greet him, he hardly noticed time had gone by at all. But he knew that he had to be ready, loath as he was to depart from the book. So after calling to Ms. Youns he'd be ready in a moment, he hid the book back in it's spot, and proceeded to go downstairs, where he showered, and put on a smart coat with tie and good-looking shoes. Pleased with his appearance, though doubtful of the coming day, Raaz came downstairs and was met with a joyful hug from his master, and eggs and toast. Not feeling hungry, he had only a bite of toast, and a sip of juice, and told his master he was ready to leave. "Excited, are you boy?" Mr. Ebrithil's eyes shone at his own little joke, and consented to leave a bit early. And they were off.**

**After departing the house in a rather cheery mood, Mr. Ebrithil basically jumped in the car, while Raaz followed along sullenly, dreading what was to come. As if sensing his unease, his master attempted a few jokes, and when he was met with no response, he gave up altogether. The car ride was uneventful, and Raaz stared out his window bleakly the entire way, while his master chatted away with the driver. Not even the driver's obvious uncomfortable responses to Mr. Ebrithil's questions could bring a smile to Raaz's face. So with a sigh, he tuned them both out completely, and closed his eyes.**

**Raaz napped soundly, and had no problems whatsoever with crazy dreams or weird voices in his head. Time passed quickly and when he was waken up, he stirred, and as he went to go back to sleep he was shaken awake by his master. "Hurry boy, we're here,"**

"**Please sir. Don't make me go in there," Raaz pleaded, instantly awake.**

"**Oh, boy you don't understand. They'll **_**listen **_**to me, actually heed my words and advice. Don't you see the opportunities?" As if reading Raaz's mind, his master softened his tone. "Look. After this, it'll be over. I can't see why you're making such a huge fuss over this, I'll be right there beside you," Raaz felt his master's face scrutinizing him, awaiting a response of any kind, but was met with such a stony look that even Mr. Ebrithil had the sense to shut his mouth. And then they were leaving the car, and continuing on into the council building. **

**After demons had destroyed most of Whitehall, many buildings had to be rebuilt. But the most money was devoted to the recreation of the building where the ministers spent their time. As Raaz walked into the building he could see why. The building was only two stories, but extremely long. The outer part of the building was glass, but Raaz could tell that the inside was made of a different material. Marble, probably, Raaz thought, once again in a foul mood. This building did not belong to a certain branch of the government, but was a place for all the minister's to gather. When they walked through the doors, they found themselves in a giant lobby, where a woman with sleek black hair awaited them. After a greeting, and small words, the woman got up and began to escort them to where they would be meeting. She was nice, and appeared to be only in her 30's. She had dark eyes, but seemed to ignore Raaz altogether, much to his displeasure. Her tone was pleasant enough, but Raaz could sense her impatience. Hey, I don't blame her, Raaz thought with a small smirk. After going down hallways, and climbing a flight of stairs, they found themselves at a door. It was made of a dark wood, and was not unlike that of Raaz's dream. But he had never seen the building before, so he knew it was just coincidence. The woman smiled at Raaz and said, "Go on, they're waiting for you in there." and then she was gone, not letting him even answer her. With a nervous sigh, Raaz turned to his master. Mr. Ebrithil smiled, and placed his hands on his apprentice's shoulders. "They will ask you questions. Just be ready for them. Remember your studies, and you should be fine. Raaz," Here he grabbed my chin and made me look him in the eyes, "you'll be great. I know it." and then his master was opening the doors, and Raaz was stepping through them.**

**The room was different from the one in his dream. When he walked through the doors, he was met with a simple wooden table in the middle of the room, and 12 chairs around it. Large windows allowed bright sunlight to filter through, and the view was nice, showing off white buildings and the Thames River. The 12 were silent as Raaz walked in, and that was when Raaz took the time to evaluate them.**

**The first of them, Candice Minnow. She had a narrow face, and was probably one of the oldest on the council. She was also one of the six magicians, and probably one of the most vain as well. She wore along fur cloak, and her face was covered in make up. After filtering through the planes, Raaz saw that she had an imp on her shoulder, very weak, and Raaz was suddenly struck with the absurd feeling to laugh. But he kept quiet, minding his tongue. Candice was staring at him with beady brown eyes, and was looking him up and down, as if trying to size him up with just a glance. With a roll of the eyes, she turned her gaze away. If Raaz remembered correctly, she was the Minister of Foreign Trade. With an inward smile, Raaz switched his gaze to the second person on the council, Aaron Andrews. A man of only his late 40's, Aaron didn't look very old. His brown hair was thinning, and his face was beginning to attract wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, but his brown eyes sparkled with youth. He was a commoner, and Minister of Education. Education had become one of the most important things in London, and now the schools taught everything they had once kept secret. So, the minister of Education had been raised to the Council. The next councilor was Belinda Barry. She appeared to be only around 34, and had flowing blonde hair, and impossibly bright green eyes. She, too wore lots of make-up, but it looked good on her, unlike Candice. She also wore simple clothing, of just a dress with a black cloak. She was smiling now, and her teeth were very white. She was a commoner, and was the Minister of Recreation. She managed parties and events for the people. She was known to be funny and easily likeable. Raaz found that both statements appeared to be true. She was smiling at him, but he continued his evaluations on the remaining 9 ministers. Jordan Alders, an old magician of 80, who was the minister of Internal Affairs. He was a supposedly neurotic man, constantly speaking of conspiracies within the government. None of the other ministers were very important save two others. Jane Farrar, and Jeremy Waters. Jane Farrar was around sixty, and her hair was a dark grey, with few black hairs remaining. She had cat-like green eyes that bore Raaz down. Her nails were perfectly manicured and they **_**tap, tap, tapped **_**the table. She was the Head of the Police, commanding the Werewolves of the Police. She looked bored at the moment, yet her face was free of any wrinkles or other ravages, except a thin scar that ran down her left cheek. Next to her, was the Information Minister, Jeremy Waters. He was also near Ms. Farrar's age, and his hair was now completely gray. His brown eyes held wisdom in it, and were sparkling as if there was a joke only he knew. He wore simple clothing as well, but carried a large ring on his left index finger. He was the one who had journeyed to the Other Place during the Other Place, and had brought the Djinn Bartimaues to John Mandrake's aid. Raaz suddenly had a flashback. Bartimaues was in the book he had read, just a couple days ago. The Egyptian Djinn that had served John mandrake last. The first to speak was Candice.**

"**We're all here now Marcus," She said. Her voice was high and whiny, and Raaz felt a sudden dislike toward the Minister of Trade. "So why don't you tell us why you did summon us all!" Raaz saw that, behind her make-up, her face was wrinkly and puffy, or in other words, ugly. Many ministers nodded their assents, so Mr. Ebrithil smiled and pulled out Raaz's paper from the day before. **

"**Council of the British Government, I am here with my apprentice, Raaz. Now while you all may think that a boy of 14 may only know how to summon imps and mites, my boy here has far accomplished that. This is a paper he wrote on the studies of, Fundamentals of summoning Djinn without the use of incense or herbs****. I helped him not at all, and all his thoughts were his own." he finished with a flourishing of the paper, and then handed it to the closest minister, Aaron Andrews. Aaron took the paper.**

"**I wouldn't understand any of this," he said almost apologetically, and then handed it to his neighbor, Jane Farrar. She peered down at it, still her nails tapping against the table. The noise was beginning to bother Raaz, but he held his tongue and waited. It seemed to take forever, but eventually she handed it to another magician, Kenneth Wenz, who read it, quicker than Jane had. When Raaz looked at Jane he was surprised to see that she was staring at him, a grudging admiration in her eyes. When Raaz looked back at Kenneth, a slow smile was forming on the man's face. Then he put the paper on the table and exclaimed, "Brilliant! I love your theories of using the Adelbrand's Pentacle as a counter to the effects of iron and rosemary. But let me ask you, when summoning an afrit without herbs, how would the pentacle with hold such an entity?" The question sounded genuine, so Raaz quickly responded, completely aware of all eyes on him.**

"**Well sir, when summoning an afrit, by using just a crossing of a simple pentagon, and an Adel brand's pentacle, it creates an extra layer of defense, because there are extra sides being used. That way the afrit cannot penetrate so easily." Raaz spoke quickly, and felt a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his head. The magicians of the group were nodding, and Kenneth had a bright smile on his face. And then the paper was passed around the table, and Raaz was asked many questions. He answered each one to the best of his ability, and was almost positive he got everyone right. And then Jeremy Waters asked him his question. He stared at Raaz for a couple seconds before asking, "Name all the steps needed to get into the Other Place, and describe what happens once there," Many of the magicians voiced their disapproval at the question and Candice yelled, louder than the rest, "How can you expect him to know that!" all while Jeremy himself stared at Raaz. When Raaz looked at his master, Mr. Ebrithil had a glare set on his features. He opened his mouth to speak, but Raaz spoke up first. " You need to lie down in a simple pentacle, but make sure there is no guards around you. It is better if you have a piece of iron around your neck. Once you fall asleep, or simply get focused, your spirit leaves your body and goes into a place where there are four walls around you. Each wall is a different element: Water, fire, earth, and air. All walls converge on you, and then you get into the Other Place. You need to call a spirit's name, and then they'll escort you in. Once in there, you have to…how do I explain it? Make a body for yourself almost. But there is no time there, and in the Other Place, all spirit's are one, and there is no individual entity. You can only leave with the aid of a spirit as well." Raaz finished, and realized he was out of breath. The council chambers were deathly quiet. Candice was nodding, Jane Farrar looked pleased, and Jeremy said nothing, but say back his eyes twinkling. Raaz's master grabbed his shoulder and said to the council, "I'll expect word from you soon," and then led Raaz out of the room, out of the building, and into the bright sunlight of the day. **


End file.
